Staying fit, young and sexy at 40 or above is a challenge. It gets even harder once you hit the stage when your metabolism starts to slow down.
But some local female personalities have defied the odds and have been slaying with summer bodies like nobody's business. Whether it is genes or they achieved the sexy bodies through healthy eating and exercising, it takes a lot to get those toned bodies.
Some of the industry's hot babes over 40 years old who are steadfastly refusing to age include Sonia Mbele, Thembi Seete, Connie Ferguson, Penny Lebyane, Mapaseka Mokwele, Katlego Danke and Bonnie Mbuli, to mention just a few.
TV actor-turned producer Mbele is slaying with a radiant, petite and sexy body that almost broke the internet last week with her pink bikini. Social commentators on both Twitter and Facebook were drooling over her well-toned body.
Mbele tells TimeOut that the good looks that caught the eye of many people is a combination of many factors from eating healthy, eating the right food, sleeping on time, gym and drinking a lot of alkaline water. The obsession with drinking water has pushed her to start her own alkaline water manufactured called AlkamaX Supercharged water.
“It is surprising that I am still relevant. But there has been a significant change in the past couple of months in my life and it shows. I am so happy, though. You get to a point in your life where you start building a certain lifestyle and when you see the results it becomes a big thing. This goes to show that what I started is a step towards the right direction,” she says.
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Mbele says she always lived a healthy lifestyle but picked up bad habits along the way like eating late at night and sleeping late. She says in 2021, she cut all the bad habits and replaced them with a healthy lifestyle.
“Last year, I had a lot of time on my hands and did not have as many projects as I normally do. I started checking what I can do to earn an income. I did a bit of research on alkaline water because I drink a lot of it. I saw the benefit of it and I took my last bit and I invested it in the manufacturing water business, bottling and distributing. The whole thing was to create employment and it is doing well. I still enjoy my champagne now and again. I guess the change is a combination of many things.”
Gomora star Seete, whose journey began with the music group Boom Shaka in 1993, says the secret of the 1960s lies in being confident and just being yourself.
“Once you are comfortable under your skin, you take care of yourself and people find it sexy. I am planning to be sexy and I am just being myself. I guess being I is where the sexiness comes from,” Seete says.
On how the public has been reacting to her social media pictures, Seete says: “Anything positive that comes out of people’s mouths is a blessing. Not that I am immune to criticism, I take it that it's the only way to grow. If it is positive I appreciate it. It is still, me, Thembi from Boom Shaka, and nothing has changed. As you grow older you become relaxed and you don’t try hard.”
Seete advises those who want to be ever-young and sexy to take a good care of themselves. “Eat right, invest in yourself, meditate, go to gym and do all these things that help you to find yourself. Don’t overdo things, whether it’s drinking or eating. And go back to your routine to stay beautiful.”
Mbuli manages to maintain her sexy body because she goes to the gym three times a week and dedicates the other days to yoga. She has been sticking to the routine for 10 years now.
“It is not one but a combination of a lot of things. For me, I eat healthy and pay attention to what I eat. I hardly eat sugar, chocolate and other carbohydrates. Meditating and praying strengthens my approach to the work and helps me to focus on myself,” Mbuli says.
“A healthy body is important to me because I use the body as an instrument to achieve what I want to. Being healthy makes me a better actress.”
Radio and TV host Lebyane says: “The journey of being in the entertainment industry for over 25 years is something l envisioned in my late teens. When l started, I made sure that looking after myself is a commitment. l was told that l was old and l won’t last beyond 30 years as a woman. So, ageism is an evil l refused to obey and I am committed to defy at all costs just like sexism. l fully understand my body and exercise a lot and eat more plants and white meat.
“Being sexy is a state of being – spirit, soul and body experience is the best teacher and not everyone gets it earlier than 35 years. And yes affirmations work – tap into your feminine power as a woman.”
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